MotoGP: Barbera Motegi Crash Update

Following a high-side at Motegi MotoGP, Mapfre Aspar Ducati’s Hector Barbera underwent successful surgery to his right collarbone, and will be released from the hospital shortly, the team reported Friday.

But due to the recovery period, he will miss the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island Oct. 16, Round 16 of the 2011 MotoGP Championship; this will shorten the grid to just 16 riders.

The crash came at the same Motegi circuit where the Spaniard crashed in 2008. Last week’s crash occurred at Turn 12 on the second lap. After qualifying ninth on the grid, Barbera finished lap one in the same position, but lost the front end of his Mapfre Aspar Ducati, and hit the ground hard.

Barbera lost consciousness, and was taken to hospital at Twin Ring Motegi. Shortly after, Barbera was airlifted to the Dokkyo Hospital in Mibu where a CAT scan revealed he broke his right collarbone.

MotoGP says Barbera was then transported to Clinica USP Dexeus in Barcelona on Wednesday, where he underwent successful surgery by Dr. Xavier Mir, chief of the center’s hand surgery unit. The Spanish rider received a plate and compression screws to stabilize the multiple breaks to his right collarbone.

The 24-year old of Dos Aguas will begin light therapy in five days, the team reports. After 15 of 18 rounds in the 2011 MotoGP Championship, Barbera resides in 11th position with 77 points; his best finish of the 2011 season was sixth at a wet Jerez.